Buyer / Production Planner

Global Market Foods•Bolingbrook, IL

2d•$70,000 - $100,000•Onsite

About The Position

Global Market Foods (GMF) is seeking a Buyer / Production Planner to support procurement, demand planning, inventory management, and production scheduling across its divisions. GMF brings together eight importers and distributors offering more than 7,000 international food products, and is in a period of rapid growth and transformation. The role analyzes historical sales, seasonality, and market trends to forecast demand; develops purchasing plans and inventory targets; manages supplier relationships and purchase orders; and coordinates raw materials and packaging purchases with production schedules. The planner creates and tracks production work orders, monitors material availability and production KPIs, and works with Operations, Sales, Sourcing, and Quality Assurance to resolve supply and compliance issues. The role also supports FSVP compliance and supplier certifications, monitors supplier spending, identifies cost improvements, and prepares performance reports. The position is based in Bolingbrook, Illinois. The schedule is days, with flexibility on weekends if required and flexibility in hours as needed.

Requirements

At least 3 years of experience in procurement, supply planning, category management, or a related field.
Strong knowledge of supply chain procedures, inventory management, and forecasting principles.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP, and data analysis.
Ability to interpret data, identify trends, and make data-driven recommendations.
Strong attention to detail and excellent organizational and time-management skills.
Clear verbal and written communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across functions.
Knowledge of food imports and food safety regulations, including FSVP and FDA requirements, or willingness to learn quickly.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Tableau, Power BI, or other business intelligence and analytics tools.
Familiarity with AI-driven forecasting, predictive analytics, or demand planning tools.
Category management experience or experience managing multiple product categories across suppliers.
Experience with FSVP compliance, supplier audits, or food safety certifications.
Experience with ERP, MRP, or procurement platforms.
Background in specialty foods, food imports, or international supply chains.

Responsibilities

Analyze historical sales data, seasonality patterns, and market trends to forecast demand across product categories and warehouse locations.
Create and maintain purchasing plans and inventory targets aligned with sales forecasts and business goals.
Monitor inventory levels using Tableau dashboards and recommend actions to reduce stockouts, overstock, and excess inventory.
Develop supplier relationships across multiple divisions; negotiate pricing, terms, minimum order quantities, and delivery timelines.
Assess supplier performance against quality, on-time delivery, and responsiveness metrics, and manage supplier scorecards.
Identify supply chain risks, including supplier concentration, capacity constraints, and geopolitical factors, and recommend mitigation strategies.
Place purchase orders promptly and follow up on order status, delivery dates, and exceptions.
Create and release production work orders based on production schedules, sales forecasts, and inventory targets; confirm bills of materials and quantities before release.
Plan and purchase packaging materials and raw components for work orders, ensuring materials arrive ahead of scheduled production.
Monitor raw component and packaging availability for open work orders; flag shortages and recommend expedites, substitutions, or schedule changes.
Manage production flow by tracking work orders from release through completion and adjusting schedules as priorities and material availability change.
Coordinate with the Operations Manager on production schedules, labor and line capacity, material readiness, and issues affecting output.
Track production KPIs, including work order completion, schedule attainment, material shortages, and packaging and component inventory levels.
Work with Quality Assurance to investigate and maintain FSVP compliance and current certifications, coordinate corrective actions, and track supplier follow-up.
Monitor regulatory requirements, flag compliance risks, and support supplier audits and corrective action tracking.
Monitor supplier budgets and spending and identify cost optimization opportunities, including consolidation, alternative suppliers, and contract renegotiation.
Prepare regular reports on purchase order status, supplier scorecards, inventory metrics, and cost variance.
Track KPIs such as fill rates, on-time delivery, cost per unit, weeks of supply, and supplier compliance rate, and recommend improvements.
Partner with Sales to understand demand drivers and market opportunities and align procurement with growth initiatives.
Collaborate with Sourcing, Operations, and Quality to resolve supply chain issues.